Share This Story!

Pinnacle QB Brian Lewerke commits to Michigan State

Brian Lewerke, 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, who had 11 offers, four from the Pac-12, including the latest coming Friday from Oregon State, took unofficial visits to both Michigan and Michigan State a couple of weeks ago.

Phoenix Pinnacle junior quarterback Brian Lewerke, whose first football scholarship offer came last year from Arizona State, gave Michigan State an oral commitment Saturday, April 19.

Lewerke, 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, who had 11 offers, four from the Pac-12, including the latest coming Friday from Oregon State, took unofficial visits to both Michigan and Michigan State a couple of weeks ago.

"I felt like it was the right place," Lewerke said. "I like the city. I like the coaching staff. They seemed really easy to talk with. They know their football. The coaches and the facilities are really nice."

Lewerke operates mostly out of a shotgun, spread attack at Pinnacle, where he completed 167 of 316 passes for 2,780 yards and 33 touchdowns with nine interceptions last season. Pinnacle had one of its best seasons, going 9-3, losing twice to Chandler Hamilton.

Lewerke said Arizona State recently getting a commitment from Chandler junior quarterback Bryce Perkins didn't steer him away from ASU.

"Bryce is a great quarterback," said Lewerke, who also had offers from UCLA and Arizona. "But I felt like I could compete with him. I just felt Michigan State was a better fit."

Michigan State mostly runs a pro-style offense with the quarterback directly under center, but Lewerke said he is looking forward to running that kind of offense.

"I'm fine with that," he said. "That's how it is in the NFL, and that's my ultimate goal."

Mike Giovando and Dennis Gile, local quarterback coaches, have worked with Lewerke since the sixth grade.

Giovando believes Lewerke will flourish once he gets on the field at Michigan State.

"He wasn't scared to get away from home if he could," Giovando said. "He's kind of an independent kid. He went to Michigan State on that visit and really liked it. It's hard to tell a kid not to like a school that just won the Rose Bowl. Wherever he went, he was going to be good. There is no reason not to set your sights high."